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Bentley's is a ladies' outfitters selling dresses, hats, shoes and anything else a lady might need. It used to be the drapers shop in Erdington. The business has been owned by the Bentley family for two generations although the present premises were built after 1840 (stretcher brickwork) replacing the original Georgian row of shops, hence its neo-Georgian design.
Ellen's parents had run Bentley's, all their married life, having inherited it from Ellen's grandparents. With the booming prosperity and massive population growth in late Victorian Birmingham they made enough money to move out of the shop premises and into a large detached house (Summerlee House) and along came Ellen (!).

1878 Ellen is born

1879 Sept. First Blackpool illuminations Oct. First female students allowed to study for a degree at Oxford Electric Street lighting introduced in London.

1888 County councils established and women are allowed to vote in local elections.

1889 Birmingham is granted the status of city despite not (at that time) having a cathedral which was previously a requirement for the honour.1898 Overhead cables installed for the Blackpool trams.

1891 April London to Paris telephone system opened to the public. Abolition of primary school fees.

1893 School leaving age raised to 11

1894 May Blackpool Tower opens May Manchester Ship Canal opens

1896 Ellen becomes engaged to Albert Feb. Lumière Brothers project the first film in Britain at The Empire Theatre of Varieties, Leicester Square. Nov. Speed limit for cars was raised from 4 mph to 14 mph. It was celebrated by the Emancipation Run of Cars from London to Brighton which became the London to Brighton Vintage Car Run. First car factory opens in Coventry

1897 June Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee

1897 May Ellen's mother dies age 62

1898 Oct. The Second Boer War begins. Dec. The Glasgow School of Art opens (Ellen likes the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh) School leaving age raised to 12.

1899 Jan Albert, Ellen's fiancée is killed at the Battle of Spion Kop

1900 Jan The Gramophone Company copyrights its HMV illustrationApr Ellen and Molly go to Paris for the Exposition, renting an apartment for 8 months Nov Ellen and Molly return to Erdington

1901 Jan. Queen Victoria dies Aug. First Cinema opens in Islington Oct. First submarine launched at Barrow Oct. Aero Club of the UK is established Dec. First transatlantic signal is received by Marconi Minimum working age raised to 12. Electric trams introduced in London, Glasgow and Portsmouth

1902 Feb. Ellen's father dies aged 72. Ellen inherits the shop. Aug. Edward VII crowned.1903190419051906 19071908 Apr. Ellen refurbishes the shop changing it from a drapers to a ladies outfitters and moves in above the shop. She helps John Dallow open a drapers across the road.1909 December 27th The Electric Cinema opened in Birmingham, 47-49 Station Street1910 Erdington library was built1911Wednesday 11th October 1911 - the date for the projects settingNov. Erdington became part of Birmingham 9/11/11

The population of Erdington doubled from 16,368 in 1901 to 32,331 in 19111912 April 15th Titanic sank